MIL-HDBK-62 CHG NOTICE 1

Abstract

Use of VHDL to model military digital electronic systems is described in this handbook. In particular, this handbook addresses the development of models compliant with the VHDL DID (Ref. 2) and MIL-HDBK-454 (Ref. 1). Digital electronics are only part of most military systems. Most modern weapons platforms use sensors and actuators that are tightly coupled with the digital electronic systems; however, the modeling of these sensors and actuators is outside the scope of this handbook. Many military electronic systems have both digital and analog components. The modeling of only the digital components is discussed in this handbook. Researchers are currently exploring the use of VHDL for analog components and considering changes to the language to allow VHDL to better support modeling of analog and hybrid components and subsystems. Although VHDL models are frequently used to provide test beds for testing software before the hardware is fabricated, this handbook does not discuss the issues of developing tests for software. <br>The handbook is not intended to provide a working knowledge of VHDL. On the other hand, the handbook introduces VHDL terms and concepts so it can serve as a stand-alone reference document for readers familiar with VHDL. <br>PURPOSE. This handbook describes the use of the very high-speed integrated circuit (VHSIC) hardware description language (VHDL) to document the design of military digital electronic systems. This handbook is designed to help Government personnel involved in the acquisition of military digital electronic systems understand the following issues related to the use of VHDL models to document military digital electronic systems. <b><u>Intended Use:</u></b> This handbook is intended for use by DoD personnel who are writing requests for proposals for digital electronic systems, DoD contractors who are developing VHDL models to be delivered to the Government, and DoD personnel or independent validation and verification contractors who are evaluating or reviewing models that have been delivered to the Government. DoD personnel include people who are writing RFPs for the development of digital electronic systems, are serving on proposal review teams, are negotiating the deliverables and tailoring the DIDs associated with a contract, are part of Government validation and verification (V&V) teams, or are in government laboratories tracking the evolution of technology for the design of digital electronic systems. VHDL tool vendors or VHDL library vendors may also find this handbook useful in terms of understanding the needs of DoD contractors. Users of this handbook should have some formal training or some experience with electrical engineering and/or computer science and should have experience reading and writing VHDL models. Although the user does not need a complete understanding of VHDL to read this handbook, he or she will need to understand VHDL to implement the suggestions made in this handbook and to understand the example VHDL programs. <br>